A new constitution, drafted by the government and seeking to give the president two additional six-year terms in office and also granting him the power to seize white-owned land without compensation, was firmly rejected in a referendum held on Feb. 12–13, 2000; however, only about 25% of the electorate cast its votes. Toward the end of February, men claiming to be veterans of the independence war began what proved to be a long, drawn-out campaign involving the forcible occupation of white-owned farms, the destruction of farm buildings, and physical violence against white farmers and black farm workers during which several were killed.

On March 17 the High Court ordered the squatters to quit the farms, but this led only to an increase in the violence, the attackers being convinced they had the support of the president. Protests by the British government led Pres. Robert Mugabe to lay the blame on Great Britain for having reneged on its promise, given at the time of independence, to provide adequate funds to compensate white farmers for the loss of their land. Early in April Britain offered further assistance, provided the parliamentary elections to be held in June were seen to be free and fair, that the economy was restored to a firm footing, and that any further land distribution would benefit peasant farmers rather than ruling-party leaders. On April 21 President Mugabe promised that the elections would be free and fair and that the squatters would be urged to leave the farms they had occupied.

The weeks before the elections were marred by widespread violence against supporters of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). Mugabe also imposed severe restrictions on attempts by external bodies, such as the European Union, to monitor the elections, which, he insisted, were an internal affair. In the election the MDC won 57 of the 120 contested seats and the ruling ZANU-PF 62; the government’s dominance was assured, however, by the president’s right to nominate an additional 30 members.

In October Mugabe announced that no action would be taken against any of those responsible for violence during the elections. Meanwhile, his campaign to seize white-owned land was intensified. In response, Pres. Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, in a reversal of his former position, announced on October 25 that this was a violation of the rule of law and had to stop. Mbeki, however, believed South Africa should continue to supply oil to Zimbabwe to prevent that nation’s economy, which was in a serious state, from collapsing completely. In May the World Bank had cut off funding to Zimbabwe because of debt arrears amounting to $383 million. On August 1, after months of resistance by the government, the currency was devalued by 24%. This was followed on August 28 by a further devaluation of 3%. Responding to an opposition motion, the speaker of the Zimbabwe House of Assembly announced on October 26 that he would appoint a committee to investigate Mugabe’s suitability to continue as president. In December the Supreme Court gave Mugabe six months to develop a workable land-reform program.